The Secret River - STC @ Edinburgh/NT

I saw this during the 2016 run - it is stunning. A very simple staging but quite evocative of the Australian bush.
Some confronting scenes, although the brutality is never explicit.
I really enjoyed this and am hopeful of getting tickets for the NT season - I'll actually be in London for those 2 weeks!

ETA - I wonder if the cast will include Tim Minchin? He played Smasher in the 2016 production.

That is very sad news.

If anyone is wondering about the last couple of lines in that article, there’s an explanation here - en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Aboriginal_avoidance_practices#Avoidance_of_naming_the_dead

Saw this last night. I have mixed feeling. The lead actor was a bit OTT and his accent was atrocious.

The play itself I liked a lot and the staging while simple was very versatile and effective in parts.

I'd give it a solid 3.5/5.

No that is the female narrator who has been replaced.

I thought this was really good last night. Simple but effective staging - enough to convey the bush without being over the top. Happy with the acting, I too think the accent was deliberate in a sense of Thornhill already starting to leave the Old Country behind. Thought the storytelling a little pedestrian in places, particularly in Act One, but picked up significantly in Act Two. Pauline Whyman as the narrator did a fine job in place of the late Ningali Lawford-Wolf (the directory told us that Pauline had only got on a plane in Sydney a week ago to join the cast for London), but I did think we may have lost something as Pauline was reading - unsurprisingly, given the nature of the part - and I think the concept of an "all-seeing, all knowing" narrator might have been lost a bit. Nonetheless, a satisfying night's theatre.

Just watched today’s matinee performance and what an excellent production it was. For me Act 2 was definitely the more stronger of the two acts and really does deliver a real emotional punch to you. I think having a bilingual production really does help in highlighting the difficulties faced by the Dharug and the British characters in trying to coexist when neither understands each other’s language. As a theatre patron it really gives you a lot to think about post show about what would you do given the same situation these characters faced.

I thought the simple staging here worked a treat and the accompanying live music and singing really did add something to help drive the story forward.

I thought that given the tragic circumstances of Pauline Whyman taking over the role of the narrator, she was very good despite the very short time she has had with this cast.

Definitely get a ticket if you can.

I was there for today's matinee and thought it was stunning. I haven't read the book although I have read a lot of Australian history having lived there for a year in the late 1980's while working with the homeless. I didn't feel that there was a problem with the acting and thought there were some talented youngsters on stage (I have sons who have just left their teens - getting that sort of energy out of similarly aged boys seems almost magical to me!). There were quite a lot of empty seats - even in row C alongside me in the £15 ones. Enjoyed looking at the programme in order to see which actors had been in which Aussie TV series just as I like seeing who has been in Doctors and the Bill. Glad to see both Brides of Christ and A Place To Call Home (a BBC2 January daytime staple in recent years) got a mention.

Isnit possible he was doing a period accent? I agree it was wobbly, and whatever choice he made was essentially in isolation, but this was our best guess.

Yes it could be good to see them on stage again. Just as long as they don’t roll out their Godawful English and Cockney accents to derail the production again

STC have just announced their next season, if you come for a visit with your relatives at Taronga Zoo.


STC 2020

Saw the last show on Saturday. Beautiful staging and lighting and loved the musical interludes.

Enjoyed the story and acting. Though I didn’t think there was too much in terms of learning regarding UK/AU history there for me personally. It’s also a bit too long, especially the first half. It’s very film on stage outside a few humorous bits with the musician and the kangaroos.

One niggle for me - the perspective overall is very white-centric. The Aborigines are definitely ‘other’ as there is no translation and so unlike the English characters thoughts are not verbalised. So it’s a nice evening out but I’m not too sure about it being called ‘a new classic’ of Australian theatre.